Disconnecter



JMarch 2, 1937. w WIL N 2,072,233

DI SCONNECTER Filed June 6 1934 e I Invent r;

. Wm I Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to fixture disconnecters.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a fixture disconnecterhaving a pole and fixture gripping means in which, in addition to manual5 control for the gripping means at the lower end of the rod, anothermanual controlling means is provided adjacent the gripping means,

A further object is to provide improved means for supporting the end ofthe pole adjacent the gripping means in such a manner that that end ofthe pole and fixture supported thereby can be held at a distance fromthe fioor for convenience in manipulation.

A further object is to provide a fixture disconnecter in which thegripping means will hold the fixture with a resilient action in order toprevent injury to the fixture.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thedescription and claims.

In the drawing, in which my invention is shown,

Figure 1 is an axial section of a fixture disconnecter embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the upper gripper operating device;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the legs unfolded in supportingposition.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the construction shown thereincomprises a tubular pole I, a jaw carrying sleeve 2 splined on the upperend of the tubular pole, a plurality of 5 gripping jaws 3 pivotallymounted on this sleeve at 4 for gripping the rim of a reflector 5, anoperating handle G'for effecting gripping engagemerit of the jaws on theshade swingable on the lower end of the pole, another gripper operatingmember i for controlling the jaws swiveled on the upper end of thetubular pole, and a pair of supporting legs 8 pivotally mounted on acollar 9 secured adjacent the upper end of the pole.

The transmission from the lower operating handle 6 to the jaws 3comprises a rod l0 slidably but not rotatably mounted in the tubularpole and having an adjustable follower pin H cooperating with a face caml2 in the hub portion I3 of the lower swiveled handle member 6, aplunger l4 slidably mounted in the upper end i of the tubular pole, anda stiff coil spring I5 connecting the plunger and rod. 7

To tighten the jaws to cause them to grip the 5s shade, the handle 6 isturned to cause the face (01. 294-20) .cam I2 to force the follower pinll downwardly,

thus drawing the plunger pin M downwardly and pressing the head It atthe upper end of the plunger downwardly against the inner ends of thepivoted gripping jaws 3 to cause these jaws to snugly engage the rim ofthe shade 5. The stiff tension spring I5 between the operating rod IDand the plunger l4 prevents unyielding action of the jaws which mighttend to injure the rim. of the shade. To release the jaws, the 16operating handle 6 is turned in a direction to allow the follower pin Hto move upwardly, thus allowing the jaw opening spring H to force theplunger upwardly to disengage the jaws from the shade. 15

In the above-described operation of the lower operating handle, theupper operating handle is placed in a position in which the jaw-carryingsleeve 2 is in its uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 2. This uppergripper controlling handle 2] 1 is useful when the pole is in loweredposition, as shown in Fig. 5, as it enables the operator to control thejaws for gripping or releasing from a position in which he is enabled tomanipulate the shade also. To release the jaws by 35 means of the upperoperating handle i, this handle is turned to a position in which the cammembers It on the hub 19 of the handle are in position to allow thesplined jaw-carrying sleeve 2 to be moved to its lower position 70 underthe action of the coil compression spring ll, thus causing the grippingjaws 3 to expand to release the shade. The lower cam face of the splinedjaw-carrying sleeve 2 is provided with suitable positioning notches 21!for cooper- 3.", ation with the upper ends of the cam projections 58 onthe hub of the operating handle, as shown in Fig. 2, the coilcompression spring ll serving to hold the parts in the position shown inFig. 2 when the jaws are to be operated by 40 the lower operating handle6. The splined connection between this jaw-carrying sleeve 2 and thetubular pole l is effected by means of a pin 2! secured to the sleeve,having its inner end r slidable in a slot 22 in the tubular pole. Thenon-rotatable connection between the rod H1 and the tubular pole l iseffected by means of a pin 23 on the rod slidably engaging a slot 24 onthe lower end of the tubular pole. In 50 order to vary the spread of thejaws for different sizes of shades, the pin follower H in the lower endof the sliding rod H) can be inserted in any one of a number of holes 25in the lower end of the rod. For a small shade, the pin is placed in theupper hole and for a large shade the pin is. placed in the lower hole.

The supporting legs 8 are pivotally mounted at 26 on lugs 21 formed onthe collar 9 which is secured to the tubular pole I underneath the hubIQ of the upper operating handle 1. The legs and lugs may be providedwith cooperating positioning means 28, 29 for holding the legs either inposition folded against the tubular pole l or in extended position asshown in Fig. 5.

In use, in connecting the fixture, the pole I is placed in the positionshown in Fig. 5, the shade 5 is secured to the gripping jaws 3 by meansof the upper operating handle 7, the legs 8 are folded against the sideof the pole, and the pole is then used as a handle to elevate the shadeand effect the necessary movements to connect the fixture with theceiling unit. When this connection has been efiected, the gripping jaws3 are released by operating the lower operating handle 6, whereupon thepole can be low ered, leaving the shade and fixture in connectedposition. To disconnect the fixture, the operation is reversed. Thelower handle 5 is operated to move the gripping jaws 3 to extendedposition, the pole is then elevated to bring the jaws 3 in position togrip the edge of the shade, the lower handle 6 is operated to cause thejaws 3 to engage the shade yieldingly and the pole is then given thenecessary motion to efiect the disconnection between the fixture and theceiling unit. The pole carrying the fixture is then lowered to theposition shown in Fig. 5 and the legs extended to support the fixture.The upper operating handle 7 is then operated to release the jaws,whereupon the fixture can be inspected, cleaned, etc.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, andit is desired, therefore, that my invention be limited only to the priorart and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A fixture disconnecter comprising a pole, fixture gripping meansmounted on the upper end of the pole, means for closing the grippingmeans on the fixture and retaining the gripping means in grippingposition comprising manually operable means carried by the. poleadjacent the lower end thereof, means for transmitting manually exertedforce from said manually operable means simultaneously with the exertionof said force for closing the gripping means and for retaining thegripping means in closed position when said manual exertion isdiscontinued, and means for releasing the gripping means from thefixture against the action of said retaining means comprising manuallyoperable means carried by the pole adjacent the fixture gripping means.

2. A fixture disconnecter comprising a pole, fixture gripping meansmounted on the upper end of the pole, means for closing the grippingmeans on the fixture and retaining the gripping means in grippingposition comprising manually operable means carried by the pole adjacentthe. lower end thereof, means for transmitting manually exerted forcefrom said manually operable means simultaneously with the exertion ofsaid force for closing the gripping means and for re,- taining thegripping means in closed position when said manual exertion isdiscontinued, and means for releasing the gripping means from thefixture against the action of said retaining means and for closing andretaining the gripping means in gripping position on the fixturecomprising manually operable means carried by the pole adjacent thefixture. gripping means,

3. A fixture disconnecter comprising a pole, fixture gripping meansmounted on the upper end of the pole, manually operable grippercontrolling means mounted adjacent the lower end of the pole, and poleadjacent the upper end thereof for supporting the fixture at aconvenient height from the floor, said supporting means comprising apair of legs each having a hinge connection with respect to the poleadjacent the upper end there of, said legs being mounted for swingingmovement from a position in which they are folded so as to lie adjacentthe pole and parallel to each other and to the pole to a supportingposition in which they extend at an angle to each other and radiallywith respect to the pole.

4. A fixture disconnecter comprising a pole, a fulcrum member mounted onsaid pole for longi-- tudinal movement with respect thereto, a pluralityof fixture gripping jaws fulcrumed on said fulcrum member, means foreffecting longitudinal movement of the fulcrum member with respect tothe pole to effect movement of the jaws, and means for effecting openingand closing movement of the jaws when the fulcrum member is stationarywith respect to the pole.

5. A fixture disconnecter comprising a pole, a fulcrum member mounted onsaid pole for longitudinal movement with respect thereto, a plurality offixture gripping jaws fulcrumed on said fulcrum member, means adjacentone end of said pole for eifecting longitudinal movement of the fulcrummember with respect to the pole to cause movement of the jaws, and meansadjacent the other end of the pole for effecting movement of the jawswhen the fulcrum member is stationary with respect to the pole.

WESLEY WILSON.

supporting means carried by the

